Tag Archives: Money

La Palma? No, I don't mean La Palma de Majorca or Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, but a little known island paradise, which is one of the seven islands (or maybe it is 8, depending upon your definition of an island, and political persuasions) that together...

Secretary of State for Security, Francisco Martínez Vázquez, and the Secretary of State for the fight against Human Trafficking and Organized Crime, Karen Bradley, met in Madrid to agree on how the two countries could cooperate more closely in the recovery of assets derived from crime.

The visit to Spain was the first trip of the British Secretary of State abroad, highlighting the importance of bilateral relations in policing. This cooperation between the two countries is shown in the exemplary success of 'Operation Captura', a campaign launched in 2006 and carried out jointly by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and the British charity Crimestoppers campaign.

As a result of this campaign, 58 of the 76 criminals wanted by the British authorities in Spain have been arrested and brought to justice in the UK. The success of this agreement has led both countries to seek new avenues of cooperation in areas such as asset recovery.

As is well known, criminals hide their assets in third countries to hinder their recovery by the agencies charged with enforcing the law. It is believed that in Spain there are more active British criminals than any other EU Member State.

The two countries have agreed to work together more closely to execute confiscation orders against British criminals once they are taken to court and have been convicted.

Similarly, the two governments have agreed to provide the necessary support to help the recovery of criminal assets located in their territories. As such, British prosecutors in Spain will shortly appoint a new asset recovery specialist, while, for it's part, Spain has sent a liaison magistrate to the UK.

The Secretaries of State have said that the excellent cooperation between the two countries has, in the past five years, seen the arrests of three quarters of Britons most wanted criminals in Spain. And they have sent a clear message: "There are no hiding places for runaway criminals."

Both countries are committed to reinforcing the fight against serious and organized crime and its harmful effects. The meeting of experts from both countries took place in Madrid on 25 and 26 February and focused on cases of practical cooperation to ensure that the crime is not profitable.

Spain and the UK will extend their cooperation in working together within the European Union to promote the exchange of information on criminal records of sex offenders across borders and to combat sexual exploitation of children, including through the use of the European Information System Criminal (ECRIS).

Spain will also endeavor to pioneer new advances in this field internationally for the next presidency of the G-6.

During her stay in Spain, the British Secretary of State, Karen Bradley also held meetings with the director general of the Civil Guard, Arsenio Fernandez de Mesa, and the director general of police, Ignacio Cosidó.

The young male wanted by the police for seemingly driving his car whilst sat in the passenger seat has surrendered himself to the police in Barcelona.
In an unusual move the police asked for assistance in identifying the man who was seen in a video pr...

Officers from the Guardia Civil have arrested a woman in Barcelona accused of making over a thousand fake bomb threats on behalf of Al Qaeda.
This is the third time that the woman has been detained by the security services, accused of making telephone...

The National Police has launched an appeal through social media to find a young man who videoed himself whilst driving a car in what is considered a reckless manner,
The video had been uploaded by a user named Antonio Velázquez, but was deleted...

The National Police have arrested one of the UK´s most wanted criminals, David Paul Mather, a 57 year old originally from Manchester, who has been on the run since 2010.
As part of “Operation Captura”, officers swooped on Mather&acut...

The release of the Eu Anti-Corruption Report from The Commission To The Council And The European Parliament suggests that the perception of political corruption is far worse a problem than the reality, with Spain seemed as one of the most politically c...

The President of the Government, Mariano Rajoy, has further announced that taxpayers who earn less than 12,000 euro a year will not pay income tax from 2015, election year, and that some 12 million workers will benefit from a tax rebate that the govern...

The President of the Government, Mariano Rajoy, has announced a new “flat rate” of social security contributions of 100 euro per month for new permanent contracts.
In the first speech in the State of the Union debate, Rajoy says that the &...

Having just agreed a 14% minimum pay cut, pilots flying for Spanish airline Iberia have just received one unexpected bonus, as they will no longer have to carry round copious amounts of paper in the form of flight manuals.
Iberia has just approved th...

The president of the Spanish college of opticians, Juan Carlos Martínez Moral of the Consejo General de Colegios de Ópticos-Optometristas, has warned this week that the improper use of cosmetic contact lenses can cause corneal damage and ...

Iain Duncan Smith, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, has visited the Benefit Fraud investigation team in Spain to thank them for their hard work and to show his continued support in bringing overseas benefit fraudsters to justice.

In a meeting at the British Embassy in Madrid, investigators explained what they are doing to tackle benefit fraud such as data sharing with the Spanish authorities, which allows them to trace suspects living in Spain. The team has investigated over 1,200 cases to date and has recovered almost £5million of UK taxpayers' money.

Iain Duncan Smith said:

“It is important that fraudulent claimants realise that even if they are living in Spain, it doesn't mean they won't be caught. Benefit fraud is a crime and we are committed to putting a stop to it whether you live in Spain, the UK or anywhere else in the world. Our investigators are here in Spain to make sure that no fraudster goes undetected.

“I would urge British residents who suspect someone of committing benefit fraud to call the hotline in Spain on 900 554 440. You can help us to ensure that UK taxpayers' money is going to those that need it most.”

More allegations of benefit fraud are received in Spain than in any other foreign country. Fraudulent claims for Pension Credit and Income Support are the most frequently investigated.

A man who left Britain to set up a catering firm in Spain is one of the latest cases to come to court. Nigel Hadley, 61, of Pembroke Dock, west Wales, has been ordered to sell his Spanish property to pay back more than £25,000 in falsely claimed benefits.

Hadley moved to Marbella after his marriage broke down in 2000 and bought a fisherman's cottage two years later. He returned to Britain in 2011 and then claimed employment support allowance from the benefit agency, as well as housing benefit and council tax benefit. In all three cases he failed to inform the authorities that he had a property in Spain, despite being asked verbally and on claim forms.

He was caught after the Department for Work and Pensions sent him a "habitual residency" claim form which specifically asked whether he had any other property. After he once more failed to reveal his foreign property, investigators discovered his Spanish home.

Hadley has been sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to pay back £25,960 of claimed benefits through the sale of his £90,000 property, his only asset. He was told to repay all the money within six months or face a jail term.

If you suspect someone of committing benefit fraud you can call Benefit Fraud Hotline in Spain on 900 554 440. Lines are open 8am-4pm, Monday to Friday, and all calls are free and confidential.